January 8, 1986
If this week’s column seems a little short and disorganized its because its author is learning to operate a new computer system. Over the holidays we acquired a “wonderful” network of two computers, several other pieces of equipment and a laserwriter. We spent days training in the new procedures and as our first edition of the new year approached I was confident we were ready.
Little did I know! The morning the paper was due at the printers I discovered our new machines would not give me my classified pages. A call to the “hot line” told us we had been lost in a power surge. So much for the modern methods. I pasted up the classifieds the old way.
This week my children operated the computers with no problems at all. They turned out beautiful ads in just moments. I’m glad it didn’t take long because on Monday night while trying to send those very same ads to my pages it seems I wiped them out.
Since we are still in the novelty stages my kids probably won’t mind redoing the ads. However, I think Mother better read the manual again before the computers become old hat and the kids find something better to do than bail her out.
It never ceases to amaze me how fast the young people of today adapt to modern technology. My sons, who have struggled through English, much less a foreign language, have picked up the language of computers in no time at all. These same boys who can’t figure out how to load and operate the dishwasher have no problems with loading programs, connecting external disk drives and debugging systems.
With the help of my children, the computer company and numerous advisors, I’m sure we will finally master this newest phase of our growth. In the meantime if our column is missing or a little bent out of shape blame it on the computer!
GCB